4 February 2019 - - Israeli biotechnology company Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CFBI) has received a Notice of Allowance from the US Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application titled, "Use of A3 adenosine receptor agonist in the treatment of Osteoarthritis," the company said.

This patent addresses methods for treating osteoarthritis with A3 adenosine receptor agonists and has been granted to Can-Fite in major global markets including North and South America, Europe and Asia.

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease impacting ageing populations and represents an USD 8bn global treatment market in 2017 and is expected to rise to USD 11.6bn by the end of 2025 according to Persistence Market Research.

Extensive research carried out by Can-Fite's scientists suggests that A3AR agonists such as Piclidenoson may be useful in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Data on Piclidenoson's anti-inflammatory effect and prevention of cartilage damage in osteoarthritis, as well as its mechanism of action, were published in the scientific journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease that results from the breakdown of the cartilage of the joints and the deterioration of tendons and ligaments that can lead to pain and inflammation. The disease tends to occur in the hands, spine, hips, knees, and feet.

The prevalence rate of osteoarthritis in the United States has been on the rise due to an increasing elderly population and rising rates of obesity.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 50 m Americans suffer from arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a top cause of disability in older people according to the American College of Rheumatology. Effective treatment options for osteoarthritis focus on reducing the pain and inflammation in the joints while protecting the joints from further damage.

Can-Fite BioPharma is an advanced clinical stage drug development company with a platform technology that is designed to address multi-billion dollar markets in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory disease and sexual dysfunction.

The company's lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson, is currently in Phase III trials for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Can-Fite's liver cancer drug, Namodenoson, is in Phase II trials for hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer, and for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Namodenoson has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the US and Europe and Fast Track Designation as a second line treatment for HCC by the US Food and Drug Administration.

It has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma.

CF602, the company's third drug candidate, has shown efficacy in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in preclinical studies and the company is investigating additional compounds, targeting A3AR, for the treatment of sexual dysfunction.

These drugs have an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,000 patients in clinical studies to date.